Haroun Tazieff

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Haroun Tazieff (May 11, 1914 — February 6, 1998) was a French vulcanologist and geologist.

Born in Warsaw, Poland, his father was a Russian doctor, and Muslim, and his mother a Polish chemist. After the death of both his parents early during World War I, Tazieff remained officially stateless until 1936 when he adopted Belgian nationality (living in Brussels at the time). Over the years he studied in Russia, France, and Belgium (University of Liege), and graduated as agronomist in 1938 and as geologist in 1944. He had been a "secretaire d'Etat" in France, in charge of prevention of major risks.

In this capacity he was responsible for monitoring the geological safety of the Nuclear Test Program in the Pacific Ocean.

On his passing in 1998, Tazieff was interred in Cimetière de Passy in the Parisian quarter of Passy.